Too Much of a Good Thing

Thanks to Phil for pointing this one out to me:


Scientific Brain Linked to Autism

"Highly analytical couples, such as scientists, may be more likely to produce children with autism, an expert has argued. Professor Simon Baron-Cohen, of the University of Cambridge, said the phenomenon may help explain the recent rise in diagnoses.

Professor Baron-Cohen labels people such as scientists, mathematicians and engineers as 'systemizers'. They are skilled at analysing systems to figure out how they work. But they also tend to be less interested in the social side of life, and can exhibit behaviour such as an obsession with detail - classic traits associated with autism. Brain scan studies have also shown that mothers of autistic children often show patterns of brain activity more associated with men.

Professor Baron-Cohen said the rise in autism may be linked to the fact that it has become easier for systemizers to meet each other, with the advent of international conferences, greater job opportunities and more women working in these fields."

HA!

I particularly like how they portray international conferences as "mixers" for the autistic gene pool. Don't we just know it :(